This morning I went to create a post in the Class of 2024 National Merit thread and noticed that there is not one. Although NMFs will not be named for over a year, I wanted to start a thread since the first round of PSAT scores has been released!
Will be following along since S24 had a selection index of 222 in NJ which this year had a cutoff of 223. Hoping for pandemic drift down but not hopeful!
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Thanks for starting the thread. It is often helpful to look at last year’s thread for reference and timelines. I’ll link to it here. 2023 National Merit Discussion.
Wondering about the rejection rate for NMSF at non-HYPS, non-Ivy very selective schools (say, in ED) that probably don’t offer NM scholarships. I assume there’s no data on this, but thinking out loud, does NMSF itself add value to the app, have any relevance whatsoever in admission decisions for a student with a high test score and 4.0 uw? Icing on the cake but doesn’t actually do anything helpful for admission, or icing on the cake that gets the app an extra look/feather on the scale?
Adding a little more thinking out loud: is it only helpful in admissions at schools that offer some sort of specific merit for NMF? And along those lines, do schools like BU and Northeastern (which I think have competitive merit that NMF are eligible for) offer merit to ED applicants?
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S24 is currently on target to be NMF and SO grateful for this gift.
S21 is NMS and is at Univ Alabama and loving it. Happy to answer questions about that - he’s in Blount Honors/ Liberal Arts Program, Mechanical Engineering, dropped the STEM MBA (it looks great on paper but has some hiccups if you want to talk), plans to do Masters in Aerospace and possibly traditional MBA.
S21 had a 36ACT. White. Homeschooled. Dual enrollment. Middle class family who saved money. Being a NMF was his ticket for $$. We had NO IDEA what NMF meant going in to the PSAT.
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Following for D24. Scholarship $$ would be a huge help.
My opinion is that NMF doesn’t really add anything to a college application. It’s a cherry on top, but it isn’t going to make or break an acceptance. IMO, the value of being a NM(S)F is the scholarship money that it brings at specific schools.
I also a have NMS22 at Alabama. She’s a Randall Research Scholar and is double majoring in Computer Science and Italian. I am also happy to answer any questions.
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NM kids typically have plenty of other great stats that help them get into these types of schools. You’ll see plenty of NMF kids choose schools like UA or other larger NMF scholarship schools for the money. At the end of the day my son chose to not spend the $200k on his education that he would have had to at a selective school. Our opinion of value of education changed significantly over his senior year.
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I believe it adds nothing. Those schools have plenty of high stat kids. If you are at the higher end of NMSF stat kids then you get a look. If you have a 4.0/uw and a 36 ACT at the top tiers you may not get a look. At the second tier they care about 4.0 and 36 ACT but NMSF, Meh. It starts to add something to the application at the $2500 NMF award participant schools. But it isn’t until you get to the Full Tuition and plus schools that it matters. As for myself, I believe any B+ student with a great BS story can get into Harvard. But only a great student who applied themselves through years of study can accomplish NMSF and say they were the top 1%.
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Exactly. I came to realize in 2016 that the value I placed on the Elite schools no longer held the esteem of my youth. My S2017 NM Scholar went to UF for the full cost of attendance. My current D2023 NMSF is deciding between UA and UCF. My S 2025 who we plan to be a NM scholar also plans to follow the same route of only considering top NM scholarship schools.
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For those of you with students who might be eligible for one of the College Board Recognition Programs (African American, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Rural/Small Town):
BigFuture will email invitations on January 18. Students will only be contacted about recognition if they have consented to College Board outreach. Students who have opted out of College Board outreach and believe they meet the eligibility criteria must self-nominate.
The application will open on January 18, 2023, and close on June 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET. This deadline will not be extended, so we strongly encourage students to submit their applications early.
(bolding mine) National Recognition Programs FAQ – BigFuture | College Board
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Has anyone received an email yet?
ETA: It looks like the language has been updated.
“The application will open in early spring, and close on June 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET. This deadline will not be extended, so we strongly encourage students to submit their applications early.”
Thank you for pointing out that the language changed. The first paragraph I quoted above now says “Email invitations will come from BigFuture” and not “BigFuture will email invitations on January 18.”
I guess we will be waiting until some unspecified date in early spring…
Surely someone here at CC knows the answer to this question. For schools with competitive, not-automatic scholarships based on National Merit status (say, BU/Northeastern), does applying ED ruin the chance at competitive merit? My guess is yes, but I don’t know if NM is any different from other competitive merit.
I don’t think there will be any firm answer from anyone. One could argue that ED might increase chances as they want lock-in the acceptance. In addition Univs always use the language that they will not evaluate ED apps any less stringently than RD. Any answer will be just a guess.
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I’ve not been active on CC in a while but I just want to pop back in to offer input to NM finalist that are considering UT Dallas. I have 3 NM kids one went to OU for Meteorology, and the other two went to UTD for CS.
The UTD NM scholarship has been amazing for my boys, because of AP/DE credits both graduated with their BS in 2.5 years and with fast-track were/will be able to finish their MS in 1.5 years. All fully covered under their NM scholarship.
The older one was awarded the The McDermott Graduate Fellows to continue on with his PhD which covers all his expenses and then some. The younger one, who has no desire for a PhD, landed his dream internship for this summer which should lead immediate employment after graduation, starting at 6 figures in a large Texas city without a high cost of living. Both sons will leave UTD with a great education, debt free and with more money in the bank than they started with.
Both could have gone to very prestigious schools, I spent a lot of time fretting about prestige vs. debt free but I doubt the outcome would have been any better if the had gone the prestige route vs. debit free and the fit was perfect as they found their people at UTD.
If you have any questions about UTD I’m happy to share what I know.
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We have had a very similar experience at Alabama with my NMF22. She is getting a refund check every semester that she attends UA, and she has a fabulous internship lined up for this summer. No complaints, and our DS24 will likely follow in his sister’s footsteps. Graduating with substantial savings and no debt cannot be undervalued!
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Can you expand on the hiccups with the UA STEM MBA? S23 considering UA and the STEM MBA, anything you can point out from your experience will be helpful.
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What is a good college list for someone who is a likely NMSF (225 selection index) and the priority is merit $$$$?
What major and does location matter?
I can’t keep track of what is happening with the Florida schools but you might scroll through the 2023 thread to read up on it. Alabama, University of Tulsa and UTD all have nice NM packages.
There are others, such as Fordham, that offer full tuition (not housing) scholarships. USC guarantees half-tuition if a NMF student is accepted. BU awards $25K/yr but has some strict requirements when applying.
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